flightliner
Well-known member
Skoda, have just enjoyed reading your article that you made a link for on your post above.
How did you get on?
- Thread starter peter crabtree
- Start date
mikench
Well-known member
I missed the link but having read it again I recalled reading it a few years ago. A well written and enjoyable read Andy.
@Clive
Well-known member
I had two pints of maggots to use up so it was off to the Charente again. Weather forecast = light showers & blustery winds until 1pm. Actual weather = bouncing down and gale until after 3pm. I had two swims in mind taking into account the rain, wind and holiday makers. Swim 1 entailed a 200 metre walk. That is around 195 metres more than French anglers venture from their vehicles. But in 200 metres I would be saturated. Swim 2 required a 4x4 and a 3 metre landing net pole. I had both so swim 2 it was. This is the swim after the rain had stopped.
As said it was bouncing down and the blustery gale was relentless. I had 2 guy ropes on the brolly that was fastened internally to my seat box.
In spite of this it was touch and go whether there was going to be a Mary Poppins moment!
I took out the ABU Suveran rod and reel with one of my patent home made flat pack feeders. After bait dropping three loads of spod mix, maggots and a few pellets the feeder was launched full of groundbait into mid river. Initially the bites were shy and I missed three on the bounce. Then I got two bream before being bitten off on another bite. I replaced the hook link with a longer one and had 9 fish in the next 10 casts. 6 bream around 2.5lb to 3lb, a barbel, around 2.5lb, a bleak and a gudgeon.
I tried maggots, sweetcorn, pigeon peas and half lob worms and all took more bream. After 2 hours on a 16mm boilie for a change with nothing but tentative bites from bream I went back to smaller baits. By the time my 6pm curfew was reached bream number 20 had been landed. All around 2.5lb to 3lb. I couldn't use a keepnet because of the height of my position above the waterline so it might have been the same 2 or 3 bream being recycled!
As said it was bouncing down and the blustery gale was relentless. I had 2 guy ropes on the brolly that was fastened internally to my seat box.
In spite of this it was touch and go whether there was going to be a Mary Poppins moment!
I took out the ABU Suveran rod and reel with one of my patent home made flat pack feeders. After bait dropping three loads of spod mix, maggots and a few pellets the feeder was launched full of groundbait into mid river. Initially the bites were shy and I missed three on the bounce. Then I got two bream before being bitten off on another bite. I replaced the hook link with a longer one and had 9 fish in the next 10 casts. 6 bream around 2.5lb to 3lb, a barbel, around 2.5lb, a bleak and a gudgeon.
I tried maggots, sweetcorn, pigeon peas and half lob worms and all took more bream. After 2 hours on a 16mm boilie for a change with nothing but tentative bites from bream I went back to smaller baits. By the time my 6pm curfew was reached bream number 20 had been landed. All around 2.5lb to 3lb. I couldn't use a keepnet because of the height of my position above the waterline so it might have been the same 2 or 3 bream being recycled!
jon atkinson
Well-known member
It feels like an eternity since I was last able to get out (although in truth it's only been a few weeks), but today there was a brief window of opportunity for a couple of hours in the early evening. As time was short I opted for a local day ticket venue as oposed to a 40 minute drive to my club waters. I decided to fish the road side pit in the hope of a Tench or two on the usual wagler set up.
Given the brevity of the session, I had only brought a couple of slices of white bread which I served punched on a 14 medium wire hook, fished at dead depth (about 4.5 feet) whilst feeding micros. Quite a lot of bubbling looked very encouraging and within 3 minutes the float twitched and then took off with the drag screeching in protest. It took a few minutes to get it under control but before too long a nice lean common a shade over 10 lb was duly netted, albeit quite a snug fit!
View attachment 20230802_175017.jpg
This was followed by a succession of the more anticipated Rudd with one in particular no great size, but beautifully coloured.
I continued to feed micros with further bubbling ensuing and it wasn't long before the float lifted slightly and then went under. A decent bend in the rod, but not too much of a fight had me thinking it was a respectable Bream, but no - my preferred quarry, that came in at 4lb 5oz, just bettering my modest PB so I was pleased, but surprised at how tamely it came to the net.
After this the skimmers moved in and before long it was time to head for home and cook dinner, but I thoroughly enjoyed my little session, and that nobody came round to take my money was an added bonus!
Given the brevity of the session, I had only brought a couple of slices of white bread which I served punched on a 14 medium wire hook, fished at dead depth (about 4.5 feet) whilst feeding micros. Quite a lot of bubbling looked very encouraging and within 3 minutes the float twitched and then took off with the drag screeching in protest. It took a few minutes to get it under control but before too long a nice lean common a shade over 10 lb was duly netted, albeit quite a snug fit!
View attachment 20230802_175017.jpg
This was followed by a succession of the more anticipated Rudd with one in particular no great size, but beautifully coloured.
I continued to feed micros with further bubbling ensuing and it wasn't long before the float lifted slightly and then went under. A decent bend in the rod, but not too much of a fight had me thinking it was a respectable Bream, but no - my preferred quarry, that came in at 4lb 5oz, just bettering my modest PB so I was pleased, but surprised at how tamely it came to the net.
After this the skimmers moved in and before long it was time to head for home and cook dinner, but I thoroughly enjoyed my little session, and that nobody came round to take my money was an added bonus!
flightliner
Well-known member
I was back on the Trent again today, the same swim as last friday.
Up early as usual to arrive at the same time as before, same approach with luncheon meat with a two rod setup.
A big tide at Albert dock in Hull was forecast so I had until eleven o-clock until the tide began to back up.
Its normally about 3hours to reach my ve nue and It was pretty much on time as usual and with no bites and a fast rising river I was gradually moving my tackle back until I had to give up trying as the swims layout became impossible making me lose two and a half hours fishing in total before the river began to ebb
I had to wade then in order to reset my gear to continue in order not to lose any more time.
Such is life on the tidal Trent but Hey!
So, back in business I sat patiently hoping for a repeat of the previous day but with nothing coming and my tea being readdy at 6—30 pm I was just on the verge of packing away my second rod when it hooped over and after a short struggle I slipped my net under my smallest Barbel of the year.
Such a big change from my previous visit!
Up early as usual to arrive at the same time as before, same approach with luncheon meat with a two rod setup.
A big tide at Albert dock in Hull was forecast so I had until eleven o-clock until the tide began to back up.
Its normally about 3hours to reach my ve nue and It was pretty much on time as usual and with no bites and a fast rising river I was gradually moving my tackle back until I had to give up trying as the swims layout became impossible making me lose two and a half hours fishing in total before the river began to ebb
I had to wade then in order to reset my gear to continue in order not to lose any more time.
Such is life on the tidal Trent but Hey!
So, back in business I sat patiently hoping for a repeat of the previous day but with nothing coming and my tea being readdy at 6—30 pm I was just on the verge of packing away my second rod when it hooped over and after a short struggle I slipped my net under my smallest Barbel of the year.
Such a big change from my previous visit!
Steve Arnold
Well-known member
With a weather forecast for windy with showers I thought an afternoon session might be productive. High summer can make fishing on the Lot an early morning or late evening into the night the best option. Afternoons the fish take a nap somewhere shady! I phoned Alistair to see if he wanted to tag along.
When we arrived at the boat pontoon swim it was very breezy, the clouds and choppy river surface gave me hope the afternoon would fish well. A little groundbait went in and I used a feeder for the first time this year.
Three hours passed without a bite and it seemed like a move was in order, but then Alistair had a small barbel. So we stayed! Maybe a mistake but another half an hour slipped by and he had another, so decision made to stick it out and fish into evening.
Arrangement was to be home for 8pm latest as dinner would be ready. Duck breast in soy and it needs eaten when its ready - Sally would not be impressed if we were late!
At 7pm I finally had a bite, whilst playing this barbel my phone "tinged". Landed the barbel, getting bigger now, and checked my phone whilst the fish rested in the net. Message - "How is the fishing, are you packing up yet?"
So, with my lead tugged I start packing up. Alistair gets another small barbel.....Grrrr! Should have made this an evening session, the fish have surfaced from their afternoon nap!
We got back home with 5 minutes to spare. A very good duck breast dinner with a light salad, sweet soy and sesame dressing and some roasted new potatoes. Our "early" finish and the still feeding fish forgotten!
When we arrived at the boat pontoon swim it was very breezy, the clouds and choppy river surface gave me hope the afternoon would fish well. A little groundbait went in and I used a feeder for the first time this year.
Three hours passed without a bite and it seemed like a move was in order, but then Alistair had a small barbel. So we stayed! Maybe a mistake but another half an hour slipped by and he had another, so decision made to stick it out and fish into evening.
Arrangement was to be home for 8pm latest as dinner would be ready. Duck breast in soy and it needs eaten when its ready - Sally would not be impressed if we were late!
At 7pm I finally had a bite, whilst playing this barbel my phone "tinged". Landed the barbel, getting bigger now, and checked my phone whilst the fish rested in the net. Message - "How is the fishing, are you packing up yet?"
So, with my lead tugged I start packing up. Alistair gets another small barbel.....Grrrr! Should have made this an evening session, the fish have surfaced from their afternoon nap!
We got back home with 5 minutes to spare. A very good duck breast dinner with a light salad, sweet soy and sesame dressing and some roasted new potatoes. Our "early" finish and the still feeding fish forgotten!
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seth49
Well-known member
Back on the syndicate water for the tench yesterday, slow sort of day for a change, I was being pestered with small perch on worm, if there are better fish in the swim they clear off otherwise they are a nuisance.
So changed to hemp and sweetcorn, using corn on the hook which worked but slower than usual, plus the owner was doing some work with a digger and dumper which was a bit noisy as well.
At least I avoided the perch, but a while between bites, I finished with a 5lb Fi, 1 small carp, 2 more F1s, 12 skimmers and roach, 2 nice crucians, and 8 tench, so not to bad considering the noise etc, at least it was warm and dry.
So changed to hemp and sweetcorn, using corn on the hook which worked but slower than usual, plus the owner was doing some work with a digger and dumper which was a bit noisy as well.
At least I avoided the perch, but a while between bites, I finished with a 5lb Fi, 1 small carp, 2 more F1s, 12 skimmers and roach, 2 nice crucians, and 8 tench, so not to bad considering the noise etc, at least it was warm and dry.
wetthrough
Well-known member
Another day on the Dam yesterday. Even nearer this time. Just a few pegs down from the dam head. Arriving around 6:30am, in the rain
thankfully only light and didn't last long but heavy enough to warrant digging out the brolly. Picture taken later on.
Plumbed up, GB in at around 12M in 8'. Maggot on and catching from the off but small stuff, minnow sized Roach switched to corn but it took an hour or so for anything bigger to turn up and then not exceptional. Bites dried up around 11 par for the course on the dam IME. No sign of anything bigger feeding. Started getting bites again around 1pm carried on catching on corn just one going top a Tare and one to punch. Very pleasant day considering what it's been like for the rest of the week. Ended up with 37 all Roach to around 4oz and quite a lot of tiddlers. I think I'll go back to my old peg. I'd at least get something bigger feeding at some time during the session, even if I don't usually catch but at least there's a chance. Packed up at around 3:30.
thankfully only light and didn't last long but heavy enough to warrant digging out the brolly. Picture taken later on.Plumbed up, GB in at around 12M in 8'. Maggot on and catching from the off but small stuff, minnow sized Roach switched to corn but it took an hour or so for anything bigger to turn up and then not exceptional. Bites dried up around 11 par for the course on the dam IME. No sign of anything bigger feeding. Started getting bites again around 1pm carried on catching on corn just one going top a Tare and one to punch. Very pleasant day considering what it's been like for the rest of the week. Ended up with 37 all Roach to around 4oz and quite a lot of tiddlers. I think I'll go back to my old peg. I'd at least get something bigger feeding at some time during the session, even if I don't usually catch but at least there's a chance. Packed up at around 3:30.
I wrote this Friday evening but forgot to press send.
I went on the river yesterday and today, fishing 3pm til 7. Yesterday was a tale of woe. According to my phone I made 3,700 steps - and still only caught one barbel. I didn't carry much, and it was on a trolley, mind. I walked to one isolated swim, and some one was in it. I drove to another stretch and found the water over the bank in some swims and another washed away by all the wet weather this summer. At the third stretch the good swims were occupied. I didn't get a bite in a couple of the swims nobody wanted. Desperate measures were called for, and with the river rising rapidly and racing through, I opted for a suicidal swim, caught one small barbel of about 4lb and had the hook pull on another.
Back again this afternoon, I tried a new swim with the river up but dropping. Getting down to it was a bit hairy - I needed a rope and dog spike, more for getting up than getting down - but once installed in it, it was fine. With 10' feet of water under the rod tip, I started with banded mussel and a 1oz bomb. I haven't caught more than the odd eel in years, but my first two bites were two of these
My next two casts stuck fast in snags. Things didn't look good. Four hooks lost in four chucks ( I cut the line rather than attempt to disgorge the eels). I was using a short rod to get under the trees, so I set up with an 8 swan sliding balsa to see if that would avoid the snags and the eels. After a bit of juggling with depth and shot, it went through nicely.
That float was from Clive Branson, a Welsh former world champion who sells his home-made floats under the Gold Medal label. He fishes a lot on the Wye, so his float range includes some big beasts. This one was doing well, with a couple more barbel, until I got it knitted into the overhead branches and broke it trying to get it back. I was down to my last huge float now, a fancy 10g Tubertini slider, line through the body and a plastic angled eye at the base. This went through a treat as well.
After a couple more fish, the river had dropped and the swim had changed. I took the float off and tried trundling a bait with a lump of plasticine further out. I hoped it would just pull off the line when I got the inevitable snags. This also got me a couple of bites.
[
I went on the river yesterday and today, fishing 3pm til 7. Yesterday was a tale of woe. According to my phone I made 3,700 steps - and still only caught one barbel. I didn't carry much, and it was on a trolley, mind. I walked to one isolated swim, and some one was in it. I drove to another stretch and found the water over the bank in some swims and another washed away by all the wet weather this summer. At the third stretch the good swims were occupied. I didn't get a bite in a couple of the swims nobody wanted. Desperate measures were called for, and with the river rising rapidly and racing through, I opted for a suicidal swim, caught one small barbel of about 4lb and had the hook pull on another.
Back again this afternoon, I tried a new swim with the river up but dropping. Getting down to it was a bit hairy - I needed a rope and dog spike, more for getting up than getting down - but once installed in it, it was fine. With 10' feet of water under the rod tip, I started with banded mussel and a 1oz bomb. I haven't caught more than the odd eel in years, but my first two bites were two of these
My next two casts stuck fast in snags. Things didn't look good. Four hooks lost in four chucks ( I cut the line rather than attempt to disgorge the eels). I was using a short rod to get under the trees, so I set up with an 8 swan sliding balsa to see if that would avoid the snags and the eels. After a bit of juggling with depth and shot, it went through nicely.
That float was from Clive Branson, a Welsh former world champion who sells his home-made floats under the Gold Medal label. He fishes a lot on the Wye, so his float range includes some big beasts. This one was doing well, with a couple more barbel, until I got it knitted into the overhead branches and broke it trying to get it back. I was down to my last huge float now, a fancy 10g Tubertini slider, line through the body and a plastic angled eye at the base. This went through a treat as well.
After a couple more fish, the river had dropped and the swim had changed. I took the float off and tried trundling a bait with a lump of plasticine further out. I hoped it would just pull off the line when I got the inevitable snags. This also got me a couple of bites.
[
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Alan Whitty
Well-known member
Been at Christchurch for 4 days, fished in the evenings and had a bream 3.8ish and a barbel 11lbs 14ozs, pics below...
flightliner
Well-known member
I was back on the Tidal Trent again this morning where I found an angler where I was hoping to fish so I headed further upstream where we would'nt be in each others way.
It was a nice sunny morning and I relaxed in my chair for a bit but I noticed the chap was was leaving having spent the night in the swim. He came up for a chat before leaving and said I should move into his swim as he had had three BB in the night, so after some consideration I did.
Settled once more with my two rod setup with luncheon meat as bait i had a short Rap a few minutes after starting which was encouraging.
The tide at that time was ebbing but around 10-45 it began flooding and i knew it was a big one.
I calculated that it would be around 2- 30pm before it was ebbing again but at
11-05 the (now) downstream rod bent over and after a long struggle I netted a nice 10-15 BB that I was very happy to to land.
I was ten minutes out when the ebb began and I dropped a bait in the nearside margin where i had another rap on the rod but whatever it was it failed to develop, the other rod did the same but more aggressive this tine with the same result.
By this time i expected a fish at at any time but my luncheon neat was running very low so i put two 12 mm boilies on the hair and within minutes one rod was away that resulted in a very feisty, hard fighting Barbel that I did'nt weigh but took out the hook whike still in ny net and water.
Ten minutes later the second rod was away with a similar sized Barbel gracing my net, hook removed, tackle in the car and I was on my way home.
It was a nice sunny morning and I relaxed in my chair for a bit but I noticed the chap was was leaving having spent the night in the swim. He came up for a chat before leaving and said I should move into his swim as he had had three BB in the night, so after some consideration I did.
Settled once more with my two rod setup with luncheon meat as bait i had a short Rap a few minutes after starting which was encouraging.
The tide at that time was ebbing but around 10-45 it began flooding and i knew it was a big one.
I calculated that it would be around 2- 30pm before it was ebbing again but at
11-05 the (now) downstream rod bent over and after a long struggle I netted a nice 10-15 BB that I was very happy to to land.
I was ten minutes out when the ebb began and I dropped a bait in the nearside margin where i had another rap on the rod but whatever it was it failed to develop, the other rod did the same but more aggressive this tine with the same result.
By this time i expected a fish at at any time but my luncheon neat was running very low so i put two 12 mm boilies on the hair and within minutes one rod was away that resulted in a very feisty, hard fighting Barbel that I did'nt weigh but took out the hook whike still in ny net and water.
Ten minutes later the second rod was away with a similar sized Barbel gracing my net, hook removed, tackle in the car and I was on my way home.
Steve Arnold
Well-known member
My wife and I were back down at the Vers campsite on Sunday and Monday. Sally likes live music and there would be a band and food stalls on the Monday evening. Last year it was great fun, as it turned out not so much this time!
Anyway, I would get to fish where I have caught so many small barbel and a few chub this last couple of years. I think it's the next stage on from a barbel nursery, lots of juvenile barbel, but I have had them to 6 lbs about a mile up river.
I tackle up accordingly with a Greys Prodigy barbel rod 1.5lbs TC. In case something bigger turned up I used a barbless size 12 hook to 8 lb fluorocarbon hook length. The weakest link would be the knotless knot for the hair rig. All chosen in case something outsize turned up, the bank is steep and there is plenty of undergrowth between the many trees lining this stretch. If a carp or silure turned up I wanted rid of it quickly and not risk harming the fish....or myself! It's unfortunate but you can only fish for little fish here by this method or using tackle only fit for the big stuff!
Having never hooked a big fish here I felt safe to fish for the 1-3lb barbel that is the norm along this stretch.....you can guess what happened!
I started with a small boilie with a PVA bad of pellets attached, just 1/2 ozs lead on a running ledger rig in the slow flow would do the job. That's my usual starting point as there might be a fish lying close in and I would not want to frighten it with groundbait. After about 10 minutes I had one of the usual small barbel, but no more touches during the next 1/2 hour.
So plan B was a baitdropper with pellets and broken boilies, four loads went in and I put my bait in the middle of that patch. A few minutes later another small barbel took my bait.....
I returned the fish in the net and it swam away after a short resting. Casting out again I hooked the line over my finger and relaxed, this might be a nice quiet session catching little barbels, I was on holiday!
Then the line was dragged over my finger and the rod buckled over hard. More than a "3-foot twitch", probably 33 feet and beyond!
The fish did not run far, maybe 20 yds or so, and I drew it in a little. Then it bolted downstream about 30 yds and cruised around. Was this a better barbel or a carp? If it was a carp I felt sure it would be a small one, usually the big fish head downstream and just go...and go.
So I decided "better barbel" and when I saw the top profile of a bronze fish in the depths I was convinced it would be that, a barbel of maybe 8 lbs or so.
A couple more runs and I drew it close to the bank and put my net down the slope ready. As I brought the fish to the surface it spotted the net and turned on its side - arghhh! - a carp of some size! I thought high teens maybe 20 lb even. It did not want to meet my net and headed to the roots of the tree to my left. The Greys barbel rod was doubled over and I added drag to the spool with my fingers, it came out of the tangle! Three more times it tried the same tactic and each time the soft spring of the barbel rod was a match for the carp. Then it headed back out into the river!
Being beside a busy campsite these shenanigans had attracted quite an audience. One lad of about 8 indicated he would help me with the net, fortunately he had his father with him to stop him falling in.
I hate being watched! and so did this fish! I gradually brought him back under the rod but it then headed for tree roots to the right of me. Again and again it tried to reach the sanctuary of the roots, but he was tiring and the rod did its job well.
Now all this time I had been praying for the hook to pull or that knot to slip, but (I was now cursing it!) the soft rod did its job too well.
It took four attempts to get the carp in the net, all the time I wished the hook hold to fail. I could see this tiny hook in its lip, a light wire hook as well, but it would not let go!
The audience was loving this action. Thank goodness the French are fisher tolerant and not at all critical (at least this bunch!)
When the fish finally went in the net, and the young lad (with help from his Dad) lifted the rim clear of the water, there was an appreciative cheer!
That's when I expected it to go pear shaped......and boy....it did! I took over the net from the boy and started to lift - this carp had "grown" at every stage of the fight. Now it was no longer a mid-teen but something over 25 lbs, I guessed.
The net was deep and the fish disappeared under the overhanging vegetation, the net stopped moving before I could reach the frame. In among the soft weed was a thick stemmed bramble and this had tangled in the net mesh above the fish.
So many thoughts in my mind....do I jump in to free it? No, an 8' drop and unsure what hazards under the surface. The water is quite deep but it's a long swim to get out.
Suddenly a loud "CRACK" and the net departs from the handle. I have a safety cord attached but it would be brutal to pull the net and fish up through the weeds with that bramble stem still attached.
I make a quick decision to try a direct pull on the line and hope the hook pulls out. With my hand pulling it pulls out very easily, that damned barbel rod was just too good at it's job! The net drops a few inches out of sight, big fish/small net and I pray it swims out (otherwise I am going in!)
Then the carp appears, slowly rights itself, pauses for a second (was that a look of disdain!) and swims away!
I do not think I have ever felt so relieved......and very embarrassed! But the audience start applauding, I will never know if it was for the fish swimming away looking fine, or for my superb fish catching/playing skills ......or maybe it was the best show in an otherwise very quiet campsite!
Bit of a long story, do I count the carp as caught and released......or just as another big fish that "GOT AWAY"?
Still feel a bit of a prat mind!
No photos of the carp, but a few of the surroundings.......
Anyway, I would get to fish where I have caught so many small barbel and a few chub this last couple of years. I think it's the next stage on from a barbel nursery, lots of juvenile barbel, but I have had them to 6 lbs about a mile up river.
I tackle up accordingly with a Greys Prodigy barbel rod 1.5lbs TC. In case something bigger turned up I used a barbless size 12 hook to 8 lb fluorocarbon hook length. The weakest link would be the knotless knot for the hair rig. All chosen in case something outsize turned up, the bank is steep and there is plenty of undergrowth between the many trees lining this stretch. If a carp or silure turned up I wanted rid of it quickly and not risk harming the fish....or myself! It's unfortunate but you can only fish for little fish here by this method or using tackle only fit for the big stuff!
Having never hooked a big fish here I felt safe to fish for the 1-3lb barbel that is the norm along this stretch.....you can guess what happened!
I started with a small boilie with a PVA bad of pellets attached, just 1/2 ozs lead on a running ledger rig in the slow flow would do the job. That's my usual starting point as there might be a fish lying close in and I would not want to frighten it with groundbait. After about 10 minutes I had one of the usual small barbel, but no more touches during the next 1/2 hour.
So plan B was a baitdropper with pellets and broken boilies, four loads went in and I put my bait in the middle of that patch. A few minutes later another small barbel took my bait.....
I returned the fish in the net and it swam away after a short resting. Casting out again I hooked the line over my finger and relaxed, this might be a nice quiet session catching little barbels, I was on holiday!
Then the line was dragged over my finger and the rod buckled over hard. More than a "3-foot twitch", probably 33 feet and beyond!
The fish did not run far, maybe 20 yds or so, and I drew it in a little. Then it bolted downstream about 30 yds and cruised around. Was this a better barbel or a carp? If it was a carp I felt sure it would be a small one, usually the big fish head downstream and just go...and go.
So I decided "better barbel" and when I saw the top profile of a bronze fish in the depths I was convinced it would be that, a barbel of maybe 8 lbs or so.
A couple more runs and I drew it close to the bank and put my net down the slope ready. As I brought the fish to the surface it spotted the net and turned on its side - arghhh! - a carp of some size! I thought high teens maybe 20 lb even. It did not want to meet my net and headed to the roots of the tree to my left. The Greys barbel rod was doubled over and I added drag to the spool with my fingers, it came out of the tangle! Three more times it tried the same tactic and each time the soft spring of the barbel rod was a match for the carp. Then it headed back out into the river!
Being beside a busy campsite these shenanigans had attracted quite an audience. One lad of about 8 indicated he would help me with the net, fortunately he had his father with him to stop him falling in.
I hate being watched! and so did this fish! I gradually brought him back under the rod but it then headed for tree roots to the right of me. Again and again it tried to reach the sanctuary of the roots, but he was tiring and the rod did its job well.
Now all this time I had been praying for the hook to pull or that knot to slip, but (I was now cursing it!) the soft rod did its job too well.
It took four attempts to get the carp in the net, all the time I wished the hook hold to fail. I could see this tiny hook in its lip, a light wire hook as well, but it would not let go!
The audience was loving this action. Thank goodness the French are fisher tolerant and not at all critical (at least this bunch!)
When the fish finally went in the net, and the young lad (with help from his Dad) lifted the rim clear of the water, there was an appreciative cheer!
That's when I expected it to go pear shaped......and boy....it did! I took over the net from the boy and started to lift - this carp had "grown" at every stage of the fight. Now it was no longer a mid-teen but something over 25 lbs, I guessed.
The net was deep and the fish disappeared under the overhanging vegetation, the net stopped moving before I could reach the frame. In among the soft weed was a thick stemmed bramble and this had tangled in the net mesh above the fish.
So many thoughts in my mind....do I jump in to free it? No, an 8' drop and unsure what hazards under the surface. The water is quite deep but it's a long swim to get out.
Suddenly a loud "CRACK" and the net departs from the handle. I have a safety cord attached but it would be brutal to pull the net and fish up through the weeds with that bramble stem still attached.
I make a quick decision to try a direct pull on the line and hope the hook pulls out. With my hand pulling it pulls out very easily, that damned barbel rod was just too good at it's job! The net drops a few inches out of sight, big fish/small net and I pray it swims out (otherwise I am going in!)
Then the carp appears, slowly rights itself, pauses for a second (was that a look of disdain!) and swims away!
I do not think I have ever felt so relieved......and very embarrassed! But the audience start applauding, I will never know if it was for the fish swimming away looking fine, or for my superb fish catching/playing skills
......or maybe it was the best show in an otherwise very quiet campsite!Bit of a long story, do I count the carp as caught and released......or just as another big fish that "GOT AWAY"?
Still feel a bit of a prat mind!
No photos of the carp, but a few of the surroundings.......
seth49
Well-known member
As it was Tuesday yesterday the decrepit duo were out again, me for tench and mick for carp as usual, usual pole tactics of worm over chopped worm and soaked micros, which they must like as there were micros in the net after catching some of the tench
Had a decent day with 6tench, 3 barbel, 2 F1s, and 20 assorted roach and skimmers, had a go for margin carp later and got done with a decent one in the bullrushes, and lost another which was probably foul hooked, still an enjoyable day, and dry and warm for a change, no photos as they were nice fish but nothing exptional.
Had a decent day with 6tench, 3 barbel, 2 F1s, and 20 assorted roach and skimmers, had a go for margin carp later and got done with a decent one in the bullrushes, and lost another which was probably foul hooked, still an enjoyable day, and dry and warm for a change, no photos as they were nice fish but nothing exptional.
S-Kippy
Well-known member
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First outing for me since May due to a persistent infection that just will not clear up. I hated the early start but I actually bagged one of my favourite swims. I coped with the barrow ok but putting it up and loading was a different matter….I was gasping for breath by the time I’d done it. On the plus side my new Delkims behaved beautifully and I’ve finally cracked the pellet cone. On the down side I never had a sniff of a proper fish and nor did any one else on the lake. I had around a dozen Rudd between 6-8 oz and nearly knackered meself.
Oh and the icing on the cake was the journey home. I left at 1307 and got home at 1610. That’s the joy of the A3/M25 and the extensive roadworks going on at the junction of these two fiends from hell.
But at least I went. It would have been easy not to.
Oh and the icing on the cake was the journey home. I left at 1307 and got home at 1610. That’s the joy of the A3/M25 and the extensive roadworks going on at the junction of these two fiends from hell.
But at least I went. It would have been easy not to.
@Clive
Well-known member
I was off at around 9am heading for the Charente. I fancied a bit of lure fishing for a change so had included a little spinning rod, baitcaster reel and a few lures and spinners as well as the bait fishing gear. First stop was where the river splits into several channels so it is more intimate than chucking the 4g wagtail into a 70 metre wide, 4 meter deep main river. I find lure fishing with a multiplier therapuetic. And a dead loss as far as catching is concerned. After about 40 minutes without a take I walked back to the car and drove elsewhere.
Second choice of spot was sadly lacking current and my fears were realised when I caught two small bream of around 1lb each in the first half hour using sweetcorn and a ground bait feeder. So off again which was a pain as it is a 200 metre walk each way.
Third spot also had no flow, but I was into a fish first cast, an 8oz roach on sweetcorn under a sliding float. The joy was short lived as a succession of bream between around 2lb to just over 4lb came to whatever I put on the hook; sweetcorn, pigeon pea, banded mussel, banded pellet, all brought bream whether I fished float or feeder.
I came home an hour and a half early, all breamed out.
Second choice of spot was sadly lacking current and my fears were realised when I caught two small bream of around 1lb each in the first half hour using sweetcorn and a ground bait feeder. So off again which was a pain as it is a 200 metre walk each way.
Third spot also had no flow, but I was into a fish first cast, an 8oz roach on sweetcorn under a sliding float. The joy was short lived as a succession of bream between around 2lb to just over 4lb came to whatever I put on the hook; sweetcorn, pigeon pea, banded mussel, banded pellet, all brought bream whether I fished float or feeder.
I came home an hour and a half early, all breamed out.
seth49
Well-known member
Thursdays report.
on my own as mick was told not to fish with the open wound on his nose for a biopsy in case his skin cancer had returned.
so on the syndicate water for tench which didn’t seem to like the high temperatures it reached 30 degrees in the afternoon and I called it a day at 3pm as it was to hot for me.
but I had some nice roach close in by a bed of irises, 2 small carp and one small tench as well, had a total of 30 roach on the clicker before i stopped due to the heat.
on my own as mick was told not to fish with the open wound on his nose for a biopsy in case his skin cancer had returned.
so on the syndicate water for tench which didn’t seem to like the high temperatures it reached 30 degrees in the afternoon and I called it a day at 3pm as it was to hot for me.
but I had some nice roach close in by a bed of irises, 2 small carp and one small tench as well, had a total of 30 roach on the clicker before i stopped due to the heat.
mikench
Well-known member
It seems so long ago now but Gordon and I had a go for tench on Wednesday . It was a very forgettable day fishing wise for us and everyone else. I was on the feeder and Gordon the float and if I do nothing and Gordon is catching, I switch to the float. No need as Gordon managed 7 roach all day but all respectable. I think he didn’t get one on maggot. I nearly achieved a first namely a blank on this water but was saved later in day by this.
it looked like an ide or Rudd but not sure. That was it and hardly worth the effort. The fact that several others only had a few skimmers or blanked was scant consolation. For Gordon to struggle( he has had over 50 fish on this water) is rare and for once our refrain of “ anytime now” was ignored.
it looked like an ide or Rudd but not sure. That was it and hardly worth the effort. The fact that several others only had a few skimmers or blanked was scant consolation. For Gordon to struggle( he has had over 50 fish on this water) is rare and for once our refrain of “ anytime now” was ignored.
Alan Whitty
Well-known member
Ide Mike
mikench
Well-known member
Cheers Alan.
Lovely holiday barbel.
Lovely holiday barbel.